The interface is overall a bit more sane. Settings like auto-updating are less hidden away. The reel-to-reel effect is gone. I like that on my iPhone 5 simply because it means you don't have to flip to another screen simply to see or change playback progress. But on slower devices, the reel-to-reel animation seemed to make it almost impossible to accurately scrub.

The biggest problem is it now badges the app icon.

There seems to be no way to turn badging off. The only plausible way I could think of is deleting the new smart playlist that contains all Unplayed podcasts, but that didn't do it.

I think at least I can get the number lower if it more reliably syncs up with my Mac.

I've grown fond of iCatcher!, which I found based on a recommendation from another Mac Ach poster (whose name I forget now, but I'm grateful to). I'm not likely to change from it to another podcast app, but is someone willing to test this one out to see if there are configurable gestures (swiping actions) to move forward and backward a set amount of time?

I've grown fond of iCatcher!, which I found based on a recommendation from another Mac Ach poster (whose name I forget now, but I'm grateful to). I'm not likely to change from it to another podcast app, but is someone willing to test this one out to see if there are configurable gestures (swiping actions) to move forward and backward a set amount of time?

Another iCatcher fan. Been using it for about a year and have no complaints. Highly customizable and not dependent on iTunes for subscriptions. Settings can get a little deep, but not a deal-killer.

Curious what the anti-skeuomorphism brigade thinks about the redesign.

I don't understand "anti-skeumorphism". There is good, appropriate skeumorphism and bad skeumorphism. Anti-skeumorphism? What a stupid concept! Should we replace slide switch and push button controls with all checkboxes too while we're at it?

The tape deck in the Podcasts app is (was) a thing of beauty. Such wonderful attention to detail! Occasionally, I like to pause the audio just to watch the take-up idler wheels bounce. If I had seen this posting before I updated it on my iPad I would never have done it. Did they really receive massive complaints about that harmless animation?? It was completely hide-able if you didn't like it. I'm going to complain loudly that they took it away!

I'm sure the new version has improvements, but this really sucks!

Luckily, I didn't update it on my iPhone so at least I still have the tape deck on that for a while longer.

I miss the unplayed list that I could play oldest first. The new unplayed station doesn't seem to allow the same behavior or I could be missing something obvious. I liked having the big chronologically ordered list of the individual episodes, not ordered by the Podcast.

I miss the unplayed list that I could play oldest first. The new unplayed station doesn't seem to allow the same behavior or I could be missing something obvious. I liked having the big chronologically ordered list of the individual episodes, not ordered by the Podcast.

You can still set the order to oldest first in the"my podcasts" area. Is that what you are looking for?

I miss the unplayed list that I could play oldest first. The new unplayed station doesn't seem to allow the same behavior or I could be missing something obvious. I liked having the big chronologically ordered list of the individual episodes, not ordered by the Podcast.

You can still set the order to oldest first in the"my podcasts" area. Is that what you are looking for?

Nope. The previous version had one big list of all unplayed episodes of all my podcasts ordered by date. The new one now groups all episodes by their podcast.

Is there still no position location sync between the podcast app and iTunes ? This was promised when iTunes 11 was revealed

I use the podcasts app daily and it syncs with my iTunes library just like podcasts always have.

You mean iCloud syncs the position of your podcast when you move from your Mac to your iPhone, and vice versa ? Do you mind expanding on this? Its never worked for me. 1] Connect iPhone. Choose 'Sync Podcasts'. - From now on I expect the two to stay in sync without me connecting the iPhone to my computer2] The same podcasts that are my iTunes also are downloaded to my iPhone (subscribe option in the podcast app on the iPhone)3] I listen to a podcast on my Mac. Stop it. Couple minutes later I listen on my iPhone. The position syncs.4] I stop listening on my iPhone. Leave the podcast app. Wait a few minutes. Start again on my Mac. It now starts where I left off on my iPhone.

That has never, ever worked for me.

Bonus points for if I delete a podcast on my mac or iphone, it is deleted from the other machine.

Is there still no position location sync between the podcast app and iTunes ? This was promised when iTunes 11 was revealed

I use the podcasts app daily and it syncs with my iTunes library just like podcasts always have.

You mean iCloud syncs the position of your podcast when you move from your Mac to your iPhone, and vice versa ? Do you mind expanding on this? Its never worked for me. 1] Connect iPhone. Choose 'Sync Podcasts'. - From now on I expect the two to stay in sync without me connecting the iPhone to my computer2] The same podcasts that are my iTunes also are downloaded to my iPhone (subscribe option in the podcast app on the iPhone)3] I listen to a podcast on my Mac. Stop it. Couple minutes later I listen on my iPhone. The position syncs.4] I stop listening on my iPhone. Leave the podcast app. Wait a few minutes. Start again on my Mac. It now starts where I left off on my iPhone.

That has never, ever worked for me.

Bonus points for if I delete a podcast on my mac or iphone, it is deleted from the other machine.

No, sorry I don't mean that it syncs over iCloud. It will only sync when plugged into iTunes or if you wifi sync your iPhone/iPad. If I've been listening to podcasts on my iPhone, say while running, and want to finish it off later at home I just either plug the phone into the computer for 30 seconds so it can sync or hit the wifi sync button on my phone when on my wifi network.

Is there still no position location sync between the podcast app and iTunes ? This was promised when iTunes 11 was revealed

I use the podcasts app daily and it syncs with my iTunes library just like podcasts always have.

You mean iCloud syncs the position of your podcast when you move from your Mac to your iPhone, and vice versa ? Do you mind expanding on this? Its never worked for me. 1] Connect iPhone. Choose 'Sync Podcasts'. - From now on I expect the two to stay in sync without me connecting the iPhone to my computer2] The same podcasts that are my iTunes also are downloaded to my iPhone (subscribe option in the podcast app on the iPhone)3] I listen to a podcast on my Mac. Stop it. Couple minutes later I listen on my iPhone. The position syncs.4] I stop listening on my iPhone. Leave the podcast app. Wait a few minutes. Start again on my Mac. It now starts where I left off on my iPhone.

That has never, ever worked for me.

Bonus points for if I delete a podcast on my mac or iphone, it is deleted from the other machine.

No, sorry I don't mean that it syncs over iCloud. It will only sync when plugged into iTunes or if you wifi sync your iPhone/iPad. If I've been listening to podcasts on my iPhone, say while running, and want to finish it off later at home I just either plug the phone into the computer for 30 seconds so it can sync or hit the wifi sync button on my phone when on my wifi network.

I always used to do this when Podcasts where part of the music app but after the standalone app came out I could never get it to work. After reading your post I just tried it again and one podcast I was listening to this morning while walking the dog is in the right place in iTunes on my mac after syncing. He's wagging his tail now.

Do we have to sync or does this just happen through the cloud? In iTunes there is a preference under Store called 'Sync playback information across devices' the help says:If you pause a movie, TV show, podcast, iTunes lesson, or audiobook, your playback position is automatically updated on every computer and iOS device that’s signed in to the iTunes Store using your Apple ID.

So shouldn't this be doing it automagically via iCloud?

I just tried it again and this does seem to be working via iCloud. I was listening to an episode of The Crossover on my mac, paused it a 27:22 and when I opened it on my iPhone it started playing back at the right place. Now paused on my iPhone at 27:27, I had to move away from the podcast but when I went back it started at 27:28 in iTunes. Then I tried messing with it by changing it on both devices and then pausing and now I can't get them to sync again.

So anyway, looks like the magic is there if you turn on sync playback under Preferences/Store and make sure you're logged into the same iTunes account.

To be honest, I had no idea that syncing podcasts over iCloud was even an option. I have been using the plug in method for years without a hitch. Next time I run I'll check it out when I get home to see if things have magically synced over the cloud.

Ugh. I've been using iTunes to download podcast episodes, then syncing the unlistened-to ones to my iPod Touch. Now, in addition to those, for each podcast it's listing other episodes that are not physically on my iPod Touch that I've already listened to, and it's marking them as unheard. For my purposes, they've really made it unuseable - why on earth would I want to wade through a bunch of episodes I've already listened to, that I explicitly told it not to sync to the iPod Touch, just to find the ones that I actually want?

I subscribed entirely through the Podcasts app on my iPhone. How do I make my mac know about it? Do I have to unsubscribe everything on my phone, re-subscribe everything on my mac, and then sync?

I just want live syncing between desktop and my phone.

I'm completely at a loss as to how this works. I'm signed in with the same Apple ID on both my Mac and iPhone. In iTunes, I have "sync playback information across devices" enabled. In the Podcasts app's settings, I have "sync subscriptions" enabled. That should do it, right? Yet if I subscribe to a podcast in the Podcasts app, it never appears in iTunes; and if I subscribe in iTunes, it never appears in the Podcasts app. They're completely separate.

Ugh. I've been using iTunes to download podcast episodes, then syncing the unlistened-to ones to my iPod Touch. Now, in addition to those, for each podcast it's listing other episodes that are not physically on my iPod Touch that I've already listened to, and it's marking them as unheard. For my purposes, they've really made it unuseable - why on earth would I want to wade through a bunch of episodes I've already listened to, that I explicitly told it not to sync to the iPod Touch, just to find the ones that I actually want?

Yes - that's exactly what happened to me. Before the update, I had maybe 50 - 100 episodes, almost all unplayed. Now, it's showing me THOUSANDS (obviously it hasn't actually downloaded them all), some partially played, some played, some unplayed, with no rhyme or reason to it. To fix this, I would have to manually go to each podcast, mark them all as read, then go to every individual episode and manually mark the unread ones as unread. That's assuming I even remember which were unread.

I can't believe they broke this so badly (for me anyway, YMMV). Fortunately, deleting the app does still force them back into the Music app, where everything is behaving as I would expect.

Fortunately, deleting the app does still force them back into the Music app, where everything is behaving as I would expect.

Well, poop - I wish I'd known that since they introduced the Podcasts app; it never offered any improvement over what I had been doing, anyways. That'll be the first thing I do when I get home tonight.

I subscribed entirely through the Podcasts app on my iPhone. How do I make my mac know about it? Do I have to unsubscribe everything on my phone, re-subscribe everything on my mac, and then sync?

I just want live syncing between desktop and my phone.

I'm completely at a loss as to how this works. I'm signed in with the same Apple ID on both my Mac and iPhone. In iTunes, I have "sync playback information across devices" enabled. In the Podcasts app's settings, I have "sync subscriptions" enabled. That should do it, right? Yet if I subscribe to a podcast in the Podcasts app, it never appears in iTunes; and if I subscribe in iTunes, it never appears in the Podcasts app. They're completely separate.

If I may go on a side rant here, this is by far the biggest problem with Apple right now. IT JUST WORKS doesn't when it involves Apple's backend sync services. Then there is no recourse. There are no docs, there are no 'sync both' buttons. The user is left clueless and helpless on what to do. I've been using Apple products for over 20 years and this is by far their worst problem IMO, its as bad as their 'no OS' struggles in the late 90s. This isn't just related to podcasts, its with everything iCloud related, except for Mail which remains rock solid.

I also got the new Podcast app 1.2 to sync position via iCloud (I assume) .... exactly once. I did the process described above where I synced podcasts the first time with my iPhone plugged in. As to if I should now set up subscriptions I have zero clue. Anyways I listened to my podcast on my Mac, stopped it, put the Mac to sleep, went to my iPhone and voila ! position synced. Then after 5 minutes (made some tea) I stopped it, went back to my computer, woke up my Mac, waited a minute .... and nothing. It didn't sync the position back to iTunes on Mac.

Is it supposed to sync back to the Mac iTunes ? Is iCloud syncing between iOS devices and iTunes supposed to work? If you sync with cable between iTunes and the iPhone, how do you maintain the sync relationship (assuming of course the iPhone also downloads the same podcast) ? If the sync doesn't work how do you re-enable it ? No clue. No docs. IT JUST WONKY. Oops I mean It Just Works.

Syncing playback positions should work between iTunes and Podcasts. Syncing subscriptions / stations is iOS <-> iOS only. If you see that the playback position isn't making it back to iTunes, try backgrounding the app or sleeping your device.

If you download an episode in iTunes and sync it to your iOS device, you can subsequently enable the subscription in Podcasts and have that sync to other iOS devices.

Wait, what? How do playback positions sync between iTunes and Podcasts if subscriptions themselves don't? Are you saying if I manually subscribe to the same podcast in both iTunes and Podcasts, then it'll start syncing the playback positions of specific episodes?

My expectation (and everyone else's too, it seems) is that if I subscribe to a podcast in iTunes, that subscription would appear in Podcasts and vice versa. This is exactly how music and apps already work, so why can't Apple do this?

Syncing playback positions should work between iTunes and Podcasts. Syncing subscriptions / stations is iOS <-> iOS only. If you see that the playback position isn't making it back to iTunes, try backgrounding the app or sleeping your device.

If you download an episode in iTunes and sync it to your iOS device, you can subsequently enable the subscription in Podcasts and have that sync to other iOS devices.

Where are you getting your information from? I'm not being accusatory, I'm interested. I can't find any Apple docs that officially tells you what triggers an iCloud sync. I'd love to know this for podcasts, notes, contacts information, ibooks location and safari bookmarks. None of which sync consistently for me. I've noticed every time iCloud works I'm happily surprised. Wow the position, calendar event, address book entry, cloud tabs, notes synced as promised !! That, upon reflection, is pathetic.

I did exit the podcast app and put the iphone screen to sleep in my little test. That didn't work. What in your opinion triggers the iTunes to iPhone sync ? Does it just before the computer goes to sleep (which would make the 'sync on sleep' feature of 10.8 make sense) ? Or do you have to quit iTunes ? That would be of no use.

The problem seems to be iTunes. If iTunes is left open while you're listening in the Podcasts app, it won't pick up the changes, and will start the podcast over. On the other hand, if iTunes is closed, and/or then re-opened after you're done listening in iOS, then the playback will sync over. If you're listening through iTunes, then iTunes will sync the playback position to iOS just fine, even if iTunes is left open.

Top Stations seem to only work between iOS devices (same with subscriptions), though you're now able to sync iTunes created playlists over... unless you have iTunes Match, then you're out of luck.

Why does it seem like it's too much to ask to have Podcasts stay in sync across all Apple devices (iTunes and iOS)?

BTW, this is not unique to Podcasts. I sometimes use iBooks, and it's sync system sucks compared to the Kindle sync system (WhisperSync). The difference is that you can "force sync" on Kindle. If you're reading a Kindle book on your iPhone, and then switch to your iPad, usually the app puts you in the correct place in the book. But occasionally, it doesn't quite work right. In that case, you go back to the iPhone, tap the sync button, then go to the iPad, tap the sync button, and you end up in the right spot in the book. That is not a perfect process (ideally the sync would always "just work"), but it's a decent backup plan.

For iBooks, however, there is no way to force a sync. If you switch between devices, and iCloud didn't happen to register the new location, there is no way to force the sync. Even going back to the first device and turning a few pages back-and-forth doesn't seem to do anything. You just have to go find your place in the book by hand on the second device.

I know... "first world problems". Obviously, it's not the end of the world to have to find your place in a book by hand, it's just that Amazon seems to have figured out a way to make it work much better than Apple. And Amazon's system is hardly confusing to the consumer: "usually your devices will stay in sync, if not then tap/click this button on each device".